1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to an article sorting machine and is more particularly concerned with a process and apparatus for weighing and sorting articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In the past pivoted cups carried by conveyors have been used for receiving individual articles, such as fruits or vegetables, to be weighed and sorted. Such a cup is usually pivotally carried by its proximal end and weighed by weighing the distal or loose end of the cup, it being assumed that the cavity of each cup will orient the article with the article's center of gravity at the center of the cavity. If the article is asymetrical, however, the article may be weighed light or heavy, depending upon whether its center of gravity is toward the proximal end or the distal end of the cup. Furthermore, when such weighing devices are employed, each receptacle to be filled is fed sufficient articles to come just up to weight and then a final article of random weight is added so as to provide the weight sufficient to satisfy the labelled weight and allow for evaporation in transit and storage. No effort was made to select the last article so as to minimize weight overage.